


Learn To Let Go

by SheWhoWillRise



Series: Marvel Drabbles [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Iron Man 3 Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 16:46:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18627223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWhoWillRise/pseuds/SheWhoWillRise
Summary: SPOILERS. SUMMARY IN NOTES.





	1. can’t believe this is it

**Author's Note:**

> After Tony's death, Harley and Peter are all alone.
> 
> Until they aren't.
> 
> also i won't tag the 'major character death' quite yet, because i don't want people to be spoiled by connected that tag with the character tags.
> 
> this is just a rough draft, so i might update chapters with more later idk. i just wanted to get this out, you know?

He’s only been back a week. His little sister is a year older than him now.

Harley Keener only wanted to get coffee that morning, but he stood in shock, along with the other patrons, watching the official announcement on the tv.

“ _Missus Pepper Stark has confirmed at a press conference, the public’s worst fears. The hero, Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is dead.”_  


He shook his head, _no, no._ _He can’t be. He always comes back....Always._

He holds out on hope. Two times they’ve announced Tony’s death before. He always came back.

Harley waits in his basement. _He would show up here, right?_

He’s startled out of his thoughts by a pounding on the basement door to outside.

He runs to it, hope bursting through his chest.

He opens the door.

It’s not Tony.

“Hey kiddo,” says the man at the door, smiling sadly at him.  


Harley bursts into tears as Rhodey holds him.


	2. his legacy lives on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[*this also requires seeing these iron man 3 deleted scenes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wq7TWooGIk) _

Harley doesn’t notice him while he’s walking up to his table in the diner, but he does notice when the man sits down across from him.

“Who ar-”  


“Hey Harley,” the man says. It still messes up Harley’s brain to see people older when he didn’t age a day. The voice sounds the same, just a little deeper.  


“E.J.?” He can see the similarities now. His hair is short, but still wispy. It’s the smirk that definitely hasn’t changed.

“Actually I just go by Elijah now.”  


“Oh.”  


Harley doesn’t know what to say. What do you say to your old schoolyard bully that you helped save their life?

“I’m sorry,” Elijah says. “For being a jerk, and for....” He looks like he’s blinking back tears.  


“I never got to thank him, for-for saving my life....And I never thanked you. So, thank you. I know it was probably hard to help me, after I did and said horrible things. I know I was just a kid back then, but you didn’t have to do what you did-”

“Yeah, I did.”  


Elijah smiles at him, “yeah, I guess you did.....I see him in you a lot.”

Harley looks at him questioning.

“He saved us, all of us, and yet, for the longest time, most of us hated him. for his money or his company, but he didn’t hold that against us at all. He saved us with a pure heart. That’s what you do. I’m glad his legacy is living on in you. You deserve it.”  


And with that, he left with a pat on Harley’s shoulder.

**Author's Note:**

> visit me on tumblr! I'm taking 2012 team lives together prompts to help ease the sadness!! [link to tumblr!](https://shewhowillrise.tumblr.com)


End file.
